


You got to choose before the choice is pulled from you.

by youngjusticewriter



Category: Naruto
Genre: Background Character Death, F/M, author once again stress writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-28 13:17:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19813081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youngjusticewriter/pseuds/youngjusticewriter
Summary: Kakashi didn’t greet her with an apology, a lie, or even with a hello. (He wasn’t too for gone that he had neglected himself to point he couldn’t sense her coming.)That’s okay because Sakura doesn’t smile up at him, she doesn’t (lie) promise everything is going to be okay, nor does she greet her husband like she would have this morning if he wasn’t already out of the house. Sakura didn’t even take one of Kakashi’s hands into her own and give it a small squeeze in comfort, in a subtle way to remind him she was still here. No, instead Sakura exhaled the breath she had been holding in and it doesn’t remove the heaviness she feels in her chest.“You need to come home.” Sakura doesn’t ask for him to do it for her even though Sakura had too lost their child. (We’re not dead, Sakura wanted to yell, and if you continue to keep your company with them, with the dead, then one day when you do come home we might just have become the company you prefer to keep. We might just become the dead you idolize because you were too late in life to realize how much your loved ones meant to you.)





	You got to choose before the choice is pulled from you.

It’s a sunny day. The weather was warm as Sakura had made her way across town; the journey had been slow because people often stopped her and Sakura had to give words as well as a smile that did not reach her eyes. (She wants to cry but she’s too tired - too busy, too needed - to be able to do so.) 

Kakashi was exactly where she suspected he would be. His thin figure seemed small compared to the memorial stone - the stone that represented the ever growing pile of bodies of loved ones he had lost over the years - Kakashi stood before even with his spiky hair. 

Kakashi didn’t greet her with an apology, a lie, or even with a hello. (He wasn’t too for gone that he had neglected himself to point he couldn’t sense her coming.) 

That’s okay because Sakura doesn’t smile up at him, she doesn’t (lie) promise everything is going to be okay, nor does she greet her husband like she would have this morning if he wasn’t already out of the house. Sakura didn’t even take one of Kakashi’s hands into her own and give it a small squeeze in comfort, in a subtle way to remind him she was still here. No, instead Sakura exhaled the breath she had been holding in and it doesn’t remove the heaviness she feels in her chest. 

“You need to come home.” Sakura doesn’t ask for him to do it for her even though Sakura had too lost their child. (We’re not dead, Sakura wanted to yell, and if you continue to keep your company with them, with the dead, then one day when you do come home we might just have become the company you prefer to keep. We might just become the dead you idolize because you were too late in life to realize how much your loved ones meant to you.) “We need you come home and stay there. Just stay there more than you do here.” 

Sakura wasn’t asking for him to forget his - no, their dead. What Sakura was asking was that he- 

“She’s dead because of me. Our daughter is-“ 

“Bullshit,” Sakura snarled, her voice shaking with anger that finally could be seen in the light of day instead of simmering in her stomach. “You do not get to pull away from us because you’re scared.” She was turning to face him expect he would not look at her. Okay, Sakura adamantly thought. You don’t won’t to look? Well, tough shit you get to. Sakura raised her hand towards his face, the movement was slow enough for Kakashi to stop her, to grab ahold of her wrist, but he did nothing but look down at her as she forced his chin to the direction of where her face was. “You don’t get to leave us with the self delusion you are protecting us. You’re not the only one in this marriage who is dangerous. You’re not the only one who is important to this village, Kakashi.” 

He was looking down at her, Sakura’s hand digging into his jaw not to hurt him but to remind him of the strength she was famous for, and Sakura wondered if he was actually seeing her. 

She let her hand drop. He didn’t need to look at her to hear what she was about to say and realize it might be a future he might one day see. 

“The thing is, yes, one day we might be just another name carved into the memorial stone but that’s the thing isn’t it? We all die, Kakashi. Please don’t let yourself realize how much you loved our last daughter after Aina dies too. Aina and I are in danger with or without you.” 

“...Just come home,” Sakura said, her voice small. It was the last thing she said before turning on her heel to begin walking there herself. Their daughter needed them. Sakura could not neglect her to bring Kakashi back just like Kakashi should not neglect their youngest daughter for the company of a stone with the names of his deceased loved ones carved it to. 

As much as she loved him, Sakura would not drag Kakashi home like Naruto and her had done to Sasuke when they were teenagers. No, all Sakura could do was be there for their daughter and wait for Kakashi to realize he did want to be there for them. 

Kakashi himself had to choose them before Aina and Sakura’s names were carved on the memorial stone as well. They all died one way or another. The thing was you had the choice of how you lived your life until then.


End file.
